Blog | The King's Fund

Better value and a better night's sleep: keeping acutely unwell children and adults out of hospital

Mathew Mathai, Consultant Paediatrician at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, explains how the concept of a ‘virtual hospital’ and keeping patients out of hospital where possible has helped to improve quality and reduce costs.

How do you engage clinicians in your digital change programme?

How important is user engagement when it comes to managing digital change projects? Dr Robert Fearn, a clinician from Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, explores the connection ahead of our new report.

Hospital bed numbers – can the downward trend continue?

Leo Ewbank asks whether sustainability and transformation plan proposals to reduce the number of hospital beds are realistic.

We should see acute hospitals as places for healing

Jocelyn Cornwell explores how vulnerable patients can feel in hospital and argues that the quality of relational care should be given the same priority as clinical quality and patient safety.

Shifting attention to acute medical wards would benefit staff and patients

David Oliver explains why we should focus on issues at the NHS front line. Giving more time and thought to the experience of acutely ill medical patients would bring benefits to the entire health system.

An insight into frontline clinical care in acute hospitals

Having spent time shadowing frontline physicians in acute hospitals, Chris Ham and Don Berwick set out the challenges they observed and talk about how the Fund is working with others to develop an agenda for improvements.

Demand and activity in the NHS: still rising

As we publish our new briefing, Richard Murray considers the wider context of increasing demand and activity in English hospitals.

Careless talk costs lives: noise in hospitals

Hong-Anh Nguyen explores the Fund's historical work on improving patient experience, including the issue of noise in hospitals.

Why is it more difficult than ever for older people to leave hospital?

David Oliver looks at the findings of the National Audit Office report and considers why hospitals are still failing to discharge older people on time.

Productivity in acute hospitals – are the recommendations of the Carter Review realistic?

With the recent publication of the Carter Review's final report on operational productivity in acute hospitals, Richard Murray reflects on whether it proposes a realistic approach to implementation.

Improving hospital discharge and intermediate care for older people

Healthwatch England's recent report, Safely home, described in harrowing detail the personal stories of patients who felt that their discharge from hospital was unsupported. It also described patients marooned in acute beds unable to move on. So how can older people's care be improved?

From salmon mould to Moroccan tabbouleh: hospitals diets and patient nutrition

For many years, The King's Fund was one of the leading voices on hospital diets and patient nutrition. Here, Ruth Nitkiewicz takes a look through our digital archive, analysing the various recommendations that have been made down the years.

Integrated care: the end of the hospital as we know it?

While integrated care clearly means change for hospital-based professionals, it is not by definition opposed to the institutional interests of hospital providers, says Chris Naylor.

Hospital workload in one chart: good news, bad news

With hospital workloads increasing on all fronts, John Appleby takes a look at the key trends and data to explain what's going on.

A new beginning for the care of older people in hospital?

Although the care of older people will be ‘core business’ for the foreseeable future, numerous reports have highlighted serious failings in that care. Does the government's response to the Francis Inquiry report mark a new beginning?

The hospital bed: on its way out?

In his British Medical Journal data briefing, John Appleby examines trends in the number of hospital beds and wonders how low we can go.

The crucial role of volunteers in supporting compassionate, high-quality patient care

Volunteers are well placed to help organisations meet a number of Francis’s key recommendations, says Claire Mundle.

Letter to a friend, a non-executive director on the board of an NHS Foundation Trust

Jocelyn Cornwell gives her advice to non-executive directors following the Francis Inquiry report.

Payment by Results: time for a rethink?

The more we have got to know about how PbR operates and similar payment methods in other countries operate in practice, the more there seems to be a case for a rethink, says John Appleby.

Transforming health and social care: can the chrysalis become a butterfly?

Chris Ham argues that much bolder approach is needed to bring about innovative models of care that meet the population's needs.

Publications: Independent research and analysis on health and social care

Reports, long reads and articles.